ISHS Acta Horticulturae 795: V International Cherry Symposium
PRODUCTIVITY OF FRUITING WOOD ON SLENDER SPINDLE SOUR CHERRY TREES |
| Authors: | K. Hrotkó, K. Csigai, L. Magyar, V. Hrotkó |
| Keywords: | Prunus cerasus, pruning, inflorescence distribution, flower distribution, cropping, leaf number, branch, thickness |
| Abstract:
Sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) trees trained to a slender spindle canopy for high density orchards are suitable for production of hand-picked high quality fruit. The slender spindle architecture is based on permanent basal branches and on small fruiting wood on the central leader. These fruiting branches should be renewed regularly. To develop a pruning protocol for fruiting wood renewal on the central leader, more information is needed on the development and productivity of those branches. Our test orchard with slender spindle trees of ‘Újfehértói fürtös’ was planted in spring 1998 and began bearing in 2000. In spring 2003, three fruiting branches/tree differing in thickness (thin, medium and thick) on the central leader of 40 trees were selected and marked. Length and thickness of shoot sections of different ages was measured, and number of inflorescences, flowers, fruit and leaves were counted. Crop weight also was measured. Distribution of flowers, inflorescences and fruit, as well as average fruit weight and fruit set, were calculated based on shoot length and basal cross-sectional area of branches. Based on the results, fruiting branches of ~10 to 11 mm basal diameter near the central leader are the most productive on sour cherry slender spindle trees. Along the fruiting branch, the two- and three-year-old section is the most productive, with the productivity of the four-year-old section decreasing considerably. The largest fruit occurred on the three-year-old section of branches with a basal diameter of ~10 mm. However, the largest leaf/fruit ratio was calculated on thin shoots where the fruit/basal cross section mm˛ ratio was very high. This might have contributed to the fact that branches of medium thickness produced the largest fruit. Branches thicker than 12 mm may favour vegetative growth and form stronger limbs. Renewal of four-year-old fruiting branches is recommended by pruning back to a 20 to 25 cm long stub. Branches exceeding a basal diameter of 12 mm also should be pruned back to provide new shoot growth for the formation of new fruiting wood. | |
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